Ayre Acoustics 8 Series @ Munich High-End 2018

Fully balanced circuits with all discrete components and zero negative feedback. 1-2-3. These are the design fundamentals with which a revitalised Ayre Acoustics not only honour the legacy of the late Charley Hansen but maintain the brand’s reputation for exceedingly refined-sounding electronics. We visited Ayre’s Colorado factory at the end of 2016.

That same three-pronged design philosophy has since made its way into Ayre’s more affordable 8 Series of products but with a twist: modularity. The QX8 digital hub comes with options for streaming; the KX8 analogue pre-amplifier with options for D/A conversion and streaming; and a 100wpc power amplifier to power loudspeakers. Pay for everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Brent Hefley, International Sales and Marketing Director, walks us through the new range from the floor of Munich High-End 2018:

All models feature linear power supplies and are built from US-sourced parts with the exception of “a few capacitors that aren’t available locally”, according to Hefley.

Alternatively, one can access the entire 8 Series feature set – network streaming, D/A conversion, analogue volume control and 100wpc loudspeaker power with a side of high-quality head-fi – from a single chassis with the EX8 integrated. On this all-in-one piece, Ariel Brown, CTO and Vice President, takes us deeper: